Reigning champion Tarran Mackenzie got his Bennetts British Superbike Championship title defence underway in earnest last time out at Donington Park, as the defending champion made his comeback from injury.
The McAMS Yamaha rider scored a tenth place on his return in the eBay Sprint race, before claiming an determined sixth and an eleventh in the third race of the weekend.
Mackenzie has been continuing his recovery, continuing his physio sessions ahead of his next on track appearance with an upcoming test at Knockhill before the event next month (June 17/18/19).
Mackenzie said: “The recovery is going well, I didn’t really know what to expect going in to Donington Park if I am honest, because I hadn’t been riding a bike so much from my first injury. I did the Snetterton test and then however many laps at Silverstone before I crashed again.
“Normally when I have had an injury in the past I have usually already had a fair few rounds, had the injury and then come back after and you are already up to speed and don’t really think about it. But because I hadn’t really been riding that much after the first injury, and did no riding before the first injury, it was strange. It kind of sped the process up at Donington Park a bit as I was in a race weekend situation where I didn’t have time to mess about – I just had to get my head down and get on with the job.
“It wasn’t too bad and my injury meant we changed some little things on the bike to make it easier and then my biggest thing was getting arm pump and I hate going on about it, but I haven’t been riding and that was the main cause. But I feel the Knockhill test coming up can hopefully cure that a bit more and then get ready for the Knockhill round.
“Battling with the second bunch of riders in fourth to tenth I was quite pleased with. I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to battle in that group or even a podium, I had no idea what it was going to be like, so to be able to have been running in that group was quite good as it showed we were back up to speed straight away.
“It was a bit of a struggle come race three, but the laps I did included my fastest ever lap of Donington Park, so first time back on the bike, it was positive. Its good signs to come as I had some speed and feel back straight away, so with a bit more riding, and another race weekend under my belt at Knockhill, I am then hoping by Brands Hatch I will be completely back up to speed and challenging for podiums and wins again.
“In the meantime, I have been continuing my recovery, seeing my physio and training, so I am looking forward to going to Knockhill, keep improving my bike fitness, and take each race as it comes.”